INVESTIGADORES
PRINCIPE Romina Elizabeth
artículos
Título:
Spatialtemporal patterns of Functional Feeding Groups in mountain streams of Córdoba, Argentina
Autor/es:
ROMINA E. PRÍNCIPE, CRISTINA M. GUALDONI, ANA M. OBERTO, GRACIELA B. RAFFAINI & MARÍA C. CORIGLIANO
Revista:
ECOLOGÍA AUSTRAL
Editorial:
ASOCIACIÓN ARGENTINA DE ECOLOGÍA
Referencias:
Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2010 p. 257 - 268
ISSN:
0327-5477
Resumen:
Trophic structure of benthic communities is influenced by the availability of food
resources which indeed may be conditioned by stream size, shading and substrate. This study
aims to analyze the distribution of macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in different
habitats of mountain streams (Córdoba, Argentina) and to assess the environmental variables
conditioning this distribution at the habitat level. Four streams were sampled in two hydrological
periods (high and low discharge) and three benthic samples were taken in riffles and runs of
coarse and fine substrate. Gathering collectors were dominant in most of the habitats, streams and
periods except in riffles during the low water period in which filtering collectors dominated. At
the habitat level, current velocity, substrate, abundance of macroalgae and twigs and leaves were
the most important variables explaining functional feeding group distribution. Functional feeding
group abundances varied in relation to the stream, the hydrological period and the habitat. The
dominance of collectors demonstrates the importance of the role of this functional group and that
fine detritus is the main food resource in these lotic ecosystems. The phenology and life history of
the species, and the amount and type of organic matter retained in each habitat may explain the
observed spatial-temporal patterns.